Mineral Oil for Constipation

Constipation can literally stop you in your tracks! It can turn your day upside down by robbing you of productivity and even mobility. When occasional constipation strikes, it can tie your stomach in knots and can make you feel like hiding in a cave somewhere. It can affect your productivity, your mood, and especially your appetite. There are many causes of constipation. The good news is-there are also many ways to address the issue. And while some are only temporary, it’s worth examining a few, especially if you suffer from constipation on a regular basis.

Whether you have constipation as a result of medication or because you haven’t been maintaining a consistent, balanced diet, you should regard the problem seriously. There are many methods for treating constipation. Harsh laxatives can certainly relieve you of constipation symptoms for a while but there are gentler, safer ways to do this.

Ingesting mineral oil for constipation relief is really a misconception. Mineral oil can lubricate the intestines sure, but it’s not absorbed by the colon like water so it acts as a stool softener. Mineral oil causes waste to move through the digestive system quickly and results in very oily stools, but you should not ingest anything the body cannot readily absorb (except dietary fiber). A few downsides, including potential seepage and itchiness in the anus, exist so mineral oil for constipation is not the best method by far.

In the old days, mineral oil was often administered to children who were fearful of having a bowel movement due to an association with pain from straining. When bowel movements become painful due to constipation, children (especially younger ones) can try to hold their bowel movements in. This results in a more painful bowel movement when it eventually happens because, the longer the feces remain in the intestines, the more moisture is absorbed back into the lining of the colon. Sometimes, children were given doses of mineral oil but then again, it was once considered acceptable to include real cocaine as a key ingredient of a popular cola due to its “stimulating” effect. So you should consider a safe, all natural solution instead.

Diet Instead of Mineral Oil

Mineral oil isn’t habit forming like many traditional laxatives. However, utilizing mineral oil for constipation doesn’t resolve a recurrent constipation problem due to chronic health issues or diet. Actually, mineral oil is a very bad choice for relieving constipation because it’s like drinking petroleum! To have regular bowel movements, you should follow three important criteria:

A healthy diet filled with high fiber foods. Fast food isn’t easily processed by the digestive system. Increasing your fiber intake can make a dramatic difference in the frequency and ease of bowel movements. It will also have a positive impact on your overall health and could reduce the likelihood of many digestive diseases.

Hydration. If you are dehydrated, your bowel movements will be painful. Drinking plenty of purified water will help ensure your fecal matter is moist, which makes it easier to move through your system. Hydrating is especially important for children associating bowel movements with pain, which can make constipation an ongoing challenge. When you are suffering from constipation, it’s important to increase your water intake.

Exercise. Many people who are constipated find walking or engaging in physical activities can get things moving again. A sedentary lifestyle, exacerbated with poor dietary habits, can cause you to suffer from constipation on a regular basis.

By modifying your diet, drinking lots of purified water, and exercising to adjust your metabolism, you will find yourself having more regular, easier bowel movements.

If you consider using mineral oil, it will make your stools very oily and it can also create an itchiness effect. Mineral oil is fairly inexpensive, but it can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb nutrients. This is one reason why mineral oil isn’t a practical solution for relieving constipation.

Other Methods to Relieve Constipation

There are natural products on the market as well that can help clean out your system and make a bowel movement easier. Things can become backed up from time to time and fecal matter can be embedded in your bowels. An oxygen-based, all-natural product such as Oxy-Powder® can be a safe and non-habit forming way to help clean out your digestive system. Many people use this product for extensive colon cleansing as well as relieving occasional constipation. The oxygenating action works to cleanse your system of lingering fecal matter so you can have easier bowel movements, greater regularity, reduce bloating, and also aid your body in absorbing nutrients. When the bowels are impacted with accumulated waste, it can have a toxic effect on your body.

Whatever method you choose to treat this ailment, be sure to try a natural, non-aggressive approach such as mineral oil for constipation first. Your bowels can function fine on their own if you can flush out the junk first, and then maintain a healthful diet, hydrate, and exercise on a regular basis. Try it and you may notice a real difference!

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